Three U.S. Navy ships arrived Friday - as welcome guests - at the Vietnamese port of Da Nang.

The visit is part of a seven-day celebration of the 16th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two former enemies, the Navy said in a press release.

The 7th Fleet delegation consists of the guided-missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon and USS Preble, the rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard, additional sailors from the Logistics Group Western Pacific command, and a mobile diving and salvage team.

The Safeguard underwent repairs at a Vietnamese shipyard in 2009, the Navy said.

Territorial tensions have risen in recent weeks between Vietnam and China over the South China Sea, but the U.S. says the visit is a planned training mission focusing on "non-combatant events and skills exchanges in areas such as navigation and maintenance."

There are thousands of MIA's in every war, bodies never found, presumed dead. For some reason, an urban myth has developed and these MIA's are presumed alive in Vietnam. Strange, that. I wonder if any psychologists or sociologists have studied this.

Think you mean MIA's, not POW's. We have been looking for the MIA's for many years now actually. I've been on 3 missions there. 2 in Laos, 1 in Vietnam. We are still finding their remains, still bringing them home to their families and providing them closure. Without a doubt one of the most rewarding things I've done in my career.

@Smoo: And some of us would rather ignorant comments not be left on these web sites, but looks like we're out of luck on that.
@Tax Dollars: Fortunately, we're not going to shut down the Navy just because we have a national debt. We've had a national debt for 200 years. This kind of port visit is an important part of why we have a Navy. It's money well spent, as it pays off in many ways. In this particular case, beyond strengthening our friendship with Vietnam, it also reminds the Chinese government that the U.S. is major presence in the Pacific and always will be.

@w2lucky: our dollar has tanked before. Currencies rise and fall relative to each other all the time. It's nothing new. Still, we're the world's leading economy, despite being only 5% of the world's population, so I'd say we're doing pretty well. Notice that the international price of oil is always set in U.S. dollars. Not Euros, Rubles, Yen, Yuan or any other currency. U.S. dollars. That pretty much says what the world thinks of our money, and it's a pretty strong statement of support.

Carol and Alex, You both missed the picture. Vietnam = China. And you probably got your comment in just in time Alex because the future of the dollar i.e the price of oil, etc... DAYS ARE NUMBERED. Your faith and appreciation for mediocrity are noted. Are you from Canada?

I just think about USA but Mr JOE brins up the issue Elephant and Donkey...So,I suggest Mr JOE and His fellows to think twice.Who(which president) have sent troops to VietNam,Kennedy and then Johnson..They are American of course,they are patriotics of course and they ARE DONKEY of course...This is an endless stupid arguement

Joe, you need to read your history books. We didn't save South Vietnam from becoming communist. We left as the North Vietnamese, sponsored by China, overran the South. There is no longer a "South Vietnam".

Having said that, I think that it is a great idea that the US maintain its presence in the South China. China has been bullying its neighbors for years and we need to continue to show China that we are not leaving. Let's get real: the US Navy could destroy anything that the Chinese "Navy" has. A single US Aircraft carrier has more firepower than the the entire Chinese Navy.

China's navy has made real progress at becoming a potentially formitable presence in our planets waters. Make no mistake about their capabilities! and to say that one of our carriers has more firepower than their entire fleet is rediculous. Our armed forces are highly trained and highly capable but NOT invincible.

@Greg: President Nixon withdrew U.S. forces from Vietnam when the war had been stabilized enough for the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) to fight without our help. ARVN ultimately was defeated by the North's army, but that was not inevitable. China and Vietnam were not buddies during (or after) that war. China and Vietnam have fought border battles. Their rival claims to potentially oil-rich islands is the latest source of conflict between them.

At least we are trying to extend a olive branch of peace and to move forward sometimes it good to remember but to move on to forgiveness and to let wounds heal so that the futre can see real peace. Real peace and understanding is what we as people must do so that our future can learn from the mistakes of the past. Yes we went to war and lives where lost on both sides but me must move past that inorder to evolve!

@Chris. US troops will leave Afghanistan, but not before being replaced with corporate military personel. The pipeline infrastructure in Afghanistan requires constant security, or the locals would destroy it. As long as China purchases oil and natural gas from the Carlyle Group's Caspian Basin holdings, there will be men in Afghanistan protecting the pipelines and compressor stations that deliver this energy to China.ðŸ™‚

Thank you! It's about time. I'm a Vietnamese, and I don't think we're the only one who's being glad but I think the surrounding countries as well. It's time someone step in before China really make its move. By the time everyone wakes up and realize China whole different monster, well it's too late for regrets.

Example: ENRON built a HUGE natural gas-fired powerplant in India with funds stolen from investors. ENRON was busted, but the powerplant construction was completed and now purchases NG from The Carlyle Group's Caspian Basin reserves. Now how much of that NG do you think would arrive in India if troops were pulled from the middle-east? Not one cubic foot buddy. Not even one.

vietnam vet -– the people in that country are still living in the dark ages. As you walk down the streets you will see
poeple stop, pull their pants down , bend over and take a crap right in the street. Pull their pants up and walk away.
we never should have been there. there army never cared about their own country. They just wanted us to pay them and then run like hell when the going got bad. I hope the whole country falls into the south china sea.

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